Quadrille Chair
Antique Mid-19th Century English Early Victorian Slipper Chairs
Brass
Vintage 1970s American Mid-Century Modern Side Chairs
Metal
Mid-20th Century Armchairs
Fabric, Walnut
Antique Late 18th Century Italian Renaissance Armchairs
Bronze
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Vintage 1970s American Modern Benches
Upholstery
20th Century English Slipper Chairs
Wood, Fabric
Mid-20th Century Danish Mid-Century Modern Lounge Chairs
Alpaca, Wood
Antique 1830s English William IV Desks and Writing Tables
Other
Antique Late 19th Century English Regency Desks and Writing Tables
Leather, Mahogany
Antique Early 19th Century English Regency Armchairs
Cane, Mahogany
Antique Mid-17th Century English Jacobean Armchairs
Rope, Oak
Vintage 1980s American Mid-Century Modern Benches
Upholstery
Antique Mid-19th Century British Victorian Armchairs
Walnut
Vintage 1960s Italian Hollywood Regency Stools
Iron
Mid-20th Century Mid-Century Modern Chairs
Metal
Late 20th Century Regency Club Chairs
Leather, Hardwood
Vintage 1960s American Mid-Century Modern Lounge Chairs
Metal
Antique 19th Century George III Lounge Chairs
Upholstery, Wood
Antique 19th Century French Napoleon III Slipper Chairs
Upholstery
Antique Early 19th Century French Empire Armchairs
Bronze
Recent Sales
20th Century Side Chairs
Wood, Linen
Vintage 1970s American Modern Lounge Chairs
Chrome
20th Century American Dining Room Chairs
Wood
Vintage 1950s American Hollywood Regency Dining Room Chairs
Fabric, Wood
Antique 19th Century Unknown Hepplewhite Armchairs
Mahogany, Upholstery
Vintage 1960s American Hepplewhite Side Chairs
Fabric, Wood
1990s Slipper Chairs
Late 20th Century American Regency Chairs
Upholstery, Wood
Mid-20th Century Chairs
Fabric
20th Century American Lounge Chairs
Mid-20th Century American Hollywood Regency Side Chairs
Wood
Antique Late 19th Century American Aesthetic Movement Chairs
Mid-20th Century Unknown Hollywood Regency Armchairs
Fabric, Wood, Paint
Late 20th Century Hollywood Regency Wingback Chairs
Mid-20th Century American Beaux Arts Armchairs
Wood
Mid-20th Century Danish Scandinavian Modern Armchairs
Fabric, Teak
Mid-20th Century English Mid-Century Modern Sideboards
Teak
Vintage 1980s American Mid-Century Modern Slipper Chairs
Linen, Upholstery, Wood
Early 20th Century French Louis XV Bergere Chairs
Linen, Wood
Vintage 1970s American Chinoiserie Chairs
Metal
Vintage 1960s American Chinese Chippendale Chairs
Fabric, Wood
Late 20th Century American Chinoiserie Side Chairs
Metal
Antique 19th Century American Club Chairs
Brass
Antique 19th Century Danish Lounge Chairs
Antique 18th Century and Earlier Irish Wingback Chairs
Cotton, Wood
Vintage 1960s American Mid-Century Modern Lounge Chairs
Cotton, Wood
Vintage 1970s American Modern Lounge Chairs
Vintage 1970s American Slipper Chairs
Chrome, Steel
Vintage 1960s American Mid-Century Modern Lounge Chairs
Upholstery, Wood
Mid-20th Century Danish Scandinavian Modern Dining Room Chairs
Oak, Teak, Upholstery
20th Century American Armchairs
Wood
Vintage 1960s American Mid-Century Modern Armchairs
Vintage 1960s American Mid-Century Modern Armchairs
Fabric, Wood
Vintage 1950s American Mid-Century Modern Dining Room Sets
Walnut, Glass
Vintage 1970s American Modern Club Chairs
Chrome
Vintage 1970s American Modern Lounge Chairs
Chrome
Finding the Right Seating for You
With entire areas of our homes reserved for “sitting rooms,” the value of quality antique and vintage seating cannot be overstated.
Fortunately, the design of side chairs, armchairs and other lounge furniture — since what were, quite literally, the early perches of our ancestors — has evolved considerably.
Among the earliest standard seating furniture were stools. Egyptian stools, for example, designed for one person with no seat back, were x-shaped and typically folded to be tucked away. These rudimentary chairs informed the design of Greek and Roman stools, all of which were a long way from Sori Yanagi's Butterfly stool or Alvar Aalto's Stool 60. In the 18th century and earlier, seats with backs and armrests were largely reserved for high nobility.
The seating of today is more inclusive but the style and placement of chairs can still make a statement. Antique desk chairs and armchairs designed in the style of Louis XV, which eventually included painted furniture and were often made of rare woods, feature prominently curved legs as well as Chinese themes and varied ornaments. Much like the thrones of fairy tales and the regency, elegant lounges crafted in the Louis XV style convey wealth and prestige. In the kitchen, the dining chair placed at the head of the table is typically reserved for the head of the household or a revered guest.
Of course, with luxurious vintage or antique furnishings, every chair can seem like the best seat in the house. Whether your preference is stretching out on a plush sofa, such as the Serpentine, designed by Vladimir Kagan, or cozying up in a vintage wingback chair, there is likely to be a comfy classic or contemporary gem for you on 1stDibs.
With respect to the latest obsessions in design, cane seating has been cropping up everywhere, from sleek armchairs to lounge chairs, while bouclé fabric, a staple of modern furniture design, can be seen in mid-century modern, Scandinavian modern and Hollywood Regency furniture styles.
Admirers of the sophisticated craftsmanship and dark woods frequently associated with mid-century modern seating can find timeless furnishings in our expansive collection of lounge chairs, dining chairs and other items — whether they’re vintage editions or alluring official reproductions of iconic designs from the likes of Hans Wegner or from Charles and Ray Eames. Shop our inventory of Egg chairs, designed in 1958 by Arne Jacobsen, the Florence Knoll lounge chair and more.
No matter your style, the collection of unique chairs, sofas and other seating on 1stDibs is surely worthy of a standing ovation.
Read More
The 21 Most Popular Mid-Century Modern Chairs
You know the designs, now get the stories about how they came to be.
Fred Rigby’s Modular Seating Can Be Configured in So Many Handy Ways
The plush Cove Slipper 2.5 Seater sofa is just one of many convenient combinations from the London-based maker.
This Chubby-Chic Quilted Stool Stands on Its Own Two Feet
Sam Klemick's cool stool is edgy, cozy and environmentally sustainable all at once.
Riotous Shapes and Colors Have Made Uchronia’s Designs the Toast of Paris
Julien Sebban’s energetic design collective is radically reshaping the look of 21st-century European furniture and interiors.
Is Lionel Jadot the Willy Wonka of Upcycled Belgian Design?
From his massive collaborative workshop in a former paper factory, the designer concocts funky furniture from disused materials, as well as luxe hotel interiors like the new Mix Brussels.
Rock Your Cares Away on This Sunny Hand-Crocheted Swing
The boho-chic Enchanted Forest Swing, handmade by marginalized women from Turkey and Syria, is uplifting in every way.
Learn Why Designer Maarten Baas Set This Charles Rennie Mackintosh Chair on Fire
What happens when you do something to a piece of furniture that you shouldn’t? It becomes an entirely new object.
Eileen Gray’s Famed Cliffside Villa in the South of France Is Returned to Its Modernist Glory
After years of diligent restoration, E-1027, the designer-cum-architect’s marriage of romance and modernism, is finally complete.